The Los Angeles Lakers (37–24) entered Thursday night with a massive Western Conference showdown against the Denver Nuggets (38–24) in the Mile High City.
However, the night also carried an expected historic milestone for 41-year-old LeBron James, who knew prior to tipoff that he needed just three made field goals to pass the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most made shots in NBA history.
As the first quarter wound down, James hit the final shot for the Lakers on a turnaround mid-range jumper, which officially became his third make of the game - and the 15,837th field goal of his illustrious career, which has now spanned 23 seasons, also the most ever.
"LeBron, one-on-one with Nnaji, off the back-in, turnaround, he's got it!" play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle exclaimed on the broadcast. "Another record in the legendary career of LeBron James. Most field goals in NBA history, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar."
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Shortly after the historic milestone, James received a congratulatory message from fellow Lakers legend Magic Johnson.
"I want to congratulate Lakers legend and superstar LeBron James on becoming the all-time leader in field goals made in NBA history - passing my Showtime Lakers teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!”
James' longevity has been second to none in NBA history, and while he understands the end is near, he's still playing at an extremely high level.
Entering Thursday, James is averaging 21.6 points, 7.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game this season while shooting 50.2% from the field and 31.7% from three-point range.
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